Gem-setting.



F. E. FARNHAM. GEM SETTING.

APPLIGATION rum) DEC. 9, 1911.

1,030,990, Y Patnted Jul 2,1912.

I \L I I FIG A FIG. 9. H941" 15 WITNESSES: A 3/ nvvsuron W M M 5. AMA;W1. A a3 ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PuNOunAPM C0.,WASHINGTON, D. C.

IINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. FARNHAIVI, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

GEM-SETTING.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK E. FARNHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGem-Settings, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to gem settings and to the special details of theirconstruction as set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like refer ence letters indicate likeparts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved gem setting. Fig. 2 is aview of the same as seen partly in elevation and partly in diametricalsection. Fig. 3 is a view, as seen partly in elevation and partly indiametrical section, showing said setting and a gem secured in wearingposition therein. Fig. 4c is a view of said setting and gem as seen inelevation. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the gem and the prongs of thesetting bent thereon. Fig. (3 is a View, partly in elevation and partlyin diametrical section, showing my improved gem setting having its seatadapted to support either.

a flat or semi-oval, or other gem, which has a straight base or afaceted gem which has a pyramidal or conical base. Fig. 7 is a view ofthe gem setting having such a seat, as seen partly in elevation andpartly in diametrical sect-ion, and shows a faceted gem mounted therein,which has a pyramidal f or conical base. Fig. 8 is a like view, showinga precious stone mounted thereln, which has a flat bottom and which issemi-oval in cross seotlon. Fig. 9 1s a like vlew, showing a preciousstone mounted therein, whlch has a flat 'top and a flat bottom parallelwith each other.

Fig. 10 is an isometric view and Fig. 11 is a top plan view of amodified form of my improved gem setting.

7 The distinguishing feature of my improved 7 gem setting is that it hasa ring or support,

made with integral solid prongs to cramp orbend over upon the face ofthe gem to confine it in position. These prongs are formed from aring-shaped blank and swaged by die-action so as to cause the metalthereof to flow, by cold pressure, in the die,

under the force of a plunger, to form a series of ridges upon and acrossthe exterior surface of the blank, which ridges terminate,

respectively, in pointed prongs, according Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed December 9, 1911.

Patented July 2, 1912.. Serial No. 664,788.

to the matrix of the die. These prongs are afterward bent to bring'theinner surface of each parallel with the axial line of the ring, and byproper tools the circular setting thus formed can be made oval, orpolygonal, or in other shapes, by die and plunger, as is well known inthe art.

In Fig. 1 A represents the ring-shaped body or base of the gem setting,provided with a series of prongs B, parallel one with another. The innersurface of the body A, at and near its top, is made with an annularangularly-inclined seat C. Each prong B has a tapering base or ridge 6,whose central longitudinal line is in alinement with the centrallongitudinal line of the prong B.

These base ridges Z) project from the cylindrical surface of the body Ain radial directions as shown. The tip of each prong B has itstransverse surface 6 shaped to extend in an obtuse angle with the outeredge of the prong, so that at the extremity of said tip or terminal theangle is acute or slightly rounded. The gem is shown at D and may havefacets (Z, as usual.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 7 the gem has a conical or pyramidal base cl, whichmay or may not be covered with foil in the well-known manner.

As seen in Fig. 3, the gem D is placed within the ring-shaped setting Aand rests upon the seat C thereof. The prongs B. are then bent over intocontact with the gem to cramp and secure the same in position, asillustrated in Figs. 3, 4:, 5 and 7.

The shape of the ridges b is shown in front elevation in Figs. 1 and 4E,and in side elevation in Figs. 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9. It is evident thatas the ridges b and prongs B stand radially outward, and as'the body orring A of the setting is of less diameter than the diameter of the gemD, said gem is Well displayed, and a comparatively. large portion of itssurface is visible, and also the edge of the gem projects considerablyoutside of the ring or body A, thus allowing a betterillumination of thegem, because the light can shine unobstructed through the edge thereofand the adjacent portions of the gem.

The beauty of the gem is much enhanced by reducing to a minimum theextent of the metal surface ordinarily visible, as plainly illustratedin Fig. 5. As the whole of the body or base A of the setting is so farin from the edge of the gem as to be incon- 7 is horizontal to. thecentral facet of the em D.

t? InFigs. 6, 7 8 and 9, the same setting is shown, with the exceptionthat, in addition to the sloping seat C, there is provided a concentricflat annular seat F. By this con- 1 struction the setting is adapted tobe used for the mounting of precious stones which have either fiat, orpyramidal, or conical bases. Thus, in Fig. 7, a faceted gem Gr is set,whose base is pyramidal. In this case the gem Gr rests upon the slopingannular seat C,but does not touch the annular fiat seat F. In Fig. 8, aprecious stone H has a semi-oval top and a flat bottom. This flat bottomrests upon the flat annular seat F and not upon the sloping annular seatC.

In Fig. 9 a precious stone. I is mounted, whose top and bottom surfacesare fiat and parallel with each other. It rests upon and is supported bythe flat annular seat F, but not upon the sloping annular seat C. Gemsettings with these two seats are a new article of manufacture, andenable the use of the same setting with gems having bases of differentkinds.

As many prongs can be made as are desired, by dies shapedfor thepurpose.Precious stones having three edges may be held by three prongsysquare orfour-edged stones may. be held .by. four or eight .prongs,'and

stones having round, oval, or polygonal edges may 'have any desirednumber of prongs, three or more. As a modification of the gem settingshown in Fig. 1, which has a circular or ring-shaped base, the invention7 is illustrated inFigs. l0 and 11, where is seen a square gem :setting-In Fig. 10, the base A is square and. the ridges across said base and.the projecting terminals'of those ridges are the same as in Fig.1. InFig. 11

asquare gem D is represented, held or set in place by the'bent prongs.

In. orderto change the round or ringshaped setting represented in Fig. 1into the square setting shown in Fig. 10, it is only necessary tosubject the round, ringshaped setting tothe operation of a plunger,which is square in cross section, cooperating with a die ofcorrespondingshape. Thus the ring-shaped base shownin Fig. l. is the common stock andmay be provided in numbers as a jewelers finding and anew article ofmanufacture, to be formed into noncircular settings by means of suitabledies and plungers, and in thismanner, triangular, square, or polygonalsettings may be made, or elliptical, oval, semi-oval, crescent, or otherforms.

It is usual in this art, when prongs are used upon gem settings, eitherto form such prongs separately and to solder each one to the body of thesetting (in which case, the

prongs and the body..of the setting are softened by the heat of such anoperation and thereby made weak and ineflicient and non-durable.) or toform such prongs inte gral with the body portion by cutting a singleblank from one piece ofsheet metal (in which case either the prong istoo thick because the body portion must have rigidity and strength toperformits functions, or else the body is too thin to serve itspurposes, because the prongs must be flexible and able to bend intoclose contact with the gem).

In my improved gem setting, the body is very rigid and substantial, andthe prongs are graduated in thickness, being tapered thinner toward thetip, so as to avoid any danger of catching the threads of the lace orother fabric of the garment; These prongs are easily bent to lie snug tothe face of the gem, but at the place of flexure have sufficient stockto maintain whatever shape they are bent 1nto. They are especiallystrong, because of the swaged ridges b, and

securely confine the gem in place. The symmetrical spacing andthe-tapering shape of these ridges enhance the beauty of the settingwhich holds the gem. I

I claim as a novel anduseful invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent: 1 j

1. The improved gem setting herein clescribed, consisting of a bodyportion having a series of integral, solid cold-swaged prongs extendingradially across the outer surface of the body portion at right angles tothe base thereof and projecting from theopposite edge of the bodyportion;

2. The improved gem setting herein described, consisting of a bodyportion having a series ofintegral, solid cold-swaged prongs, whosebases extend radially across the outer surface of the body portion atright angles to the base thereof and are radially thicker than the bodyportion and I whose tips project from the inner peripheral edge of thebody portion and are graduated so as to be thinner toward'their outerends.

3. The improved gem setting herein described, consisting of a bodyportion having a series of integral, solid, coldswaged prongs, radiallyarranged and extending transversely across the outer surface of the bodyportion at right angles to the base thereof and projecting beyondtheopposite edge, such projecting part ofeach prong diminishing inthickness toward its free, outer end and there terminating with'aninwardly and radially directed, longitudinal edge, which last named edgeis at an obtuse angle with the outer edge of said prong, and whichangularly-directed edge, when the prong is bent to cramp a gem inposition, is parallel with the outer rim of the body portion.

4:. The improved gem setting herein described, consisting of a bodyportion having at and near one annular edge thereof on the inner surfaceof the same an annular seat sloping radially toward the center of thebody portion; and a series of cold-swaged solid prongs, integral withthe body portion and extending across the outer surface of the bodyportion at right angles to the basethereof and projecting beyond saidannular edge thereof.

5. The improved gem setting herein described, consisting of a bodyportion, having at and near one annular edge thereof on the innersurface of the same an annular seat adapted to support a gem; and aseries of swaged prongs, integral with the body portion and extendingacross the outer surface tliereof and projecting beyond said annular ego.

6. The improved gem setting herein described, consisting of a bodyportion having, at and near one annular edge thereof on the innersurface of the same, two annular seats, one of which, nearest saidannular edge, has a flat bottom, and the ot-her'of which is adjacent toand below the said fiat bottom of the first named seat and has anannular seat sloping radially toward the center of the body portion, anda series of cold-swa'ged prongs, integral with the body portion andextending across the outer surface thereof and projecting beyond saidannular edge.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a jewelers finding consisting of aring-shaped base having integral therewith a plurality of solidprojecting gem-holding prongs in series, which are terminals of radialridges upon the exteriorsurface of said base, integral therewith andextending at right angles, respectively, with the edges of said base.

8. In a gem setting, the combination of a body portion comprising a baseof uniform thickness throughout, an integral continuous flange upon thebase of less thickness that that of the base thus leaving a sloping seatalong the inner surface of the base just below the bottom of saidflange, and a series of cold-swaged ridges integral with said base andflange and extending transversely upon the outer surface of said baseand flange and terminating above said flange in gem-setting prongs.

9. The improved gem setting herein described,consisting of aring-sliapedbase having at one outer edge thereof an integral continuous flange andprovided on its inner surface with two seats one of which contiguous tosaid flange has a fiat bottom and the other of which adjacent to saidfiat bottom has an inwardly sloping seat; and a series of cold-swagedprongs integral with said base and extending across the outer surfacethereof and projecting beyond the said flange.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J osnrrr P. WHITAKER, LILLIAN BARRETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

